Born in Seongnam in 2000, Karina debuted in 2020 as leader of the SM Entertainment girl group aespa and quickly became one of K-pop's defining stars of her generation. She fronted breakout singles like Next Level (2021) and Savage (2021) and, through 2024's Armageddon, has been credited as a key face of the fourth-generation K-pop wave. Alongside her music work she features prominently in aespa's virtual metaverse concept and has become a fixture on international fashion covers. Her screen presence is precise, sharp-featured and controlled, closer to a performer-model than an actor in the traditional sense. Read more